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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · content · racket · vault · scale · kick · chair · calf

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. vault — a safe
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. chair — a leader
  8. lie — to recline
  9. scale — in music
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. content — the amount
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. kick — in football
  20. scale — size or range
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. content — happy
  24. kick — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com